Gov’t pensioners to receive P3.7B Christmas cash gift starting Dec. 5

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) on Wednesday announced it will release P3.7 billion worth of Christmas cash gifts to eligible pensioners starting December 5, 2024.

In a statement, GSIS said 358,310 pensioners are qualified to receive the Christmas cash gift which is equivalent to one-month’s pension, but capped at P10,000.

It will be credited directly to the GSIS eCards of qualified old-age and disability pensioners.

Moreover, the pension fund said it will also credit the December pensions two days earlier on December 6, instead of the regular schedule on the 8th of the month “to help pensioners prepare for the holidays.”

“The Christmas cash gift is our way of expressing gratitude to our pensioners who dedicated their lives to serving the Filipino people. We hope this benefit will make their Christmas celebrations more meaningful,” said GSIS president and general manager Wick Veloso.

GSIS said those entitled to receive the cash gift are old-age and disability pensioners under RA 8291, RA 660, and PD 1146 who are in active status and have been receiving their monthly pension for at least five years as of November 30, 2024. 

Those with suspended pensions due to non-compliance with APIR (Annual Pensioners’ Information Revalidation) may still claim the cash gift after reactivating their accounts, it said.

GSIS said the following are ineligible to receive the cash gift

• pensioners who availed of a five-year lump sum and will resume their regular monthly pension after December 31, 2024
• survivorship and dependent pensioners
• pensioners who retired under RA 7699 (Portability Law)
• those receiving pro-rata pension

The pension fund added that it has introduced facial recognition technology in its GSIS Touch mobile app, to make it easier for pensioners to complete the APIR process, the annual proof-of-life requirement, without visiting GSIS offices.—AOL, GMA Integrated News